﻿<?xml version="1.0"?><api><query><normalized><n from="Ben_Harper" to="Ben Harper" /></normalized><pages><page pageid="151854" ns="0" title="Ben Harper" /></pages><export>&lt;mediawiki xmlns=&quot;http://www.mediawiki.org/xml/export-0.3/&quot; xmlns:xsi=&quot;http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance&quot; xsi:schemaLocation=&quot;http://www.mediawiki.org/xml/export-0.3/ http://www.mediawiki.org/xml/export-0.3.xsd&quot; version=&quot;0.3&quot; xml:lang=&quot;en&quot;&gt;
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  &lt;page&gt;
    &lt;title&gt;Ben Harper&lt;/title&gt;
    &lt;id&gt;151854&lt;/id&gt;
    &lt;revision&gt;
      &lt;id&gt;278182925&lt;/id&gt;

      &lt;timestamp&gt;2009-03-18T20:21:01Z&lt;/timestamp&gt;
      &lt;contributor&gt;
        &lt;username&gt;Derek R Bullamore&lt;/username&gt;
        &lt;id&gt;698799&lt;/id&gt;

      &lt;/contributor&gt;
      &lt;comment&gt;/* Singles */ Added reference&lt;/comment&gt;
      &lt;text xml:space=&quot;preserve&quot;&gt;{{otherpeople}}
{{Infobox musical artist  &amp;lt;!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --&amp;gt;
| Name                = Ben Harper
| Img                 = Ben Harper FIJM 2003.jpg
| Img_capt            = Ben Harper
| Img_size            = &amp;lt;!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels --&amp;gt;
| Landscape           = 
| Background          = solo_singer
| Birth_name          = Benjamin Chase Harper
| Alias               = 
| Born                = {{birth date and age|1969|10|28}}&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;[[Claremont, California|Claremont]], [[California]],&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;[[United States|USA]]
| Died                = 
| Instrument          = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[Guitar]], [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[Piano]], [[Bass guitar|Bass]], [[Drum kit|Drums]], [[percussion instrument|percussion]]
| Genre               = [[Alternative rock]], [[folk rock]], [[blues]], [[Gospel music|Gospel]], [[reggae]], [[Post-grunge]]
| Occupation          = [[Musician]], [[Singer-songwriter]]
| Years_active        = 1992 — present
| Label               = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[EMI|EMI Records]]
| Associated_acts     = [[Vanessa da Mata]]
| URL                 = [http://www.benharper.net/ benharper.net]
}}

'''Benjamin Chase &amp;quot;Ben&amp;quot; Harper''' (born [[October 28]], [[1969]]) is an American [[musician]].

==Early life==
Harper was born in [[Claremont, California|Claremont]], in [[California]]'s [[Pomona Valley]]. He began playing [[guitar]] as a child.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:hlI7i2ny8TEJ:www.swer.net/english.roots1.html+%22ben+harper%22+jewish&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;gl=us&amp;amp;ct=clnk&amp;amp;cd=4][http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/24975/edition_id/488/format/html/displaystory.html]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; His maternal grandparents' music store ''The Folk Music Center and Museum'' laid a foundation of folk and blues for the artist, complemented by regular patrons of [[Leonard Cohen]], [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]] and [[David Lindley (musician)|David Lindley]] and quotes of [[William Shakespeare]] and [[Robert Frost]] made often by his grandfather.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Appleford, Steve. &amp;quot;I'll Rise: The Music and Message of Ben Harper&amp;quot; Page 5. Essay published in the [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000030020 Ben Harper CD Box Collection]. Released April 4, 2000.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;  During the 80s, in his teen years, Harper began to play the slide guitar, mimicking the style of [[Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson]], to contrast that of the then-popular [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] music.  Next, Harper took up the [[Weissenborn]] to provide further distinction between his style and that of other blues musicians, including Johnson's.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;ibid, page 11&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;  Harper broke out of the [[Inland Empire (California)|Inland Empire]] after being offered an invitation by Taj Mahal to tour with the artist.  The 20 year-old Harper and the blues legend then recorded ''[[Follow the Drinkin' Gourd|Follow the Drinking Ghour(d)]]'' and toured the [[Hawaii|Fiftieth State]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;ibid, page 13&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;

==Career==
As a young man, Harper recorded the [[Gramophone record|LP]] ''[[Pleasure and Pain]]'' with [[Traditional music|Folk]] multi-instrumentalist [[Tom Freund]]. After this limited edition record, Harper secured a record deal with [[Virgin Records]], which released his debut album, ''[[Welcome to the Cruel World]]'' (1994).

This was followed by ''[[Fight For Your Mind]]'' (1995), which became a [[college radio]] favorite and generated an abundance of songs that still fill his set lists to date.

In 1999 at the [[Santa Barbara Bowl]], Harper met [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]], who was unknown at the time and had not recorded. Harper obtained a demo tape of 12 of Johnson's songs that he forwarded to his producer, J.P. Plunier, with whom Johnson recorded his first album.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Apr/21/en/FP604210305.html Harper takes both sides - The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper&amp;lt;!-- Bot generated title --&amp;gt;]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;

[[Image:BenHarper.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Ben Harper, Massey Hall, Toronto, ON]]

From early on in Harper's career, his music received more attention in [[Europe]] than it did in his home country.  While he was a well-known and respected figure in the [[United States]] (his musicianship put him on the lineup of featured singers covering Motown hits by Marvin Gaye on the classic 2002 documentary, &amp;quot;Standing in the Shadows of Motown,&amp;quot; the story of the Funk Brothers) he was a star in countries like [[France]], [[Portugal]], [[Germany]], [[Switzerland]], and [[The Netherlands]], receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim.  His popularity in Europe is such that he was French [[Rolling Stone (magazine)|''Rolling Stone'' magazine]]'s Artist of the Year (''Artiste De L'Année'') in 2003, and his tour that year for ''[[Diamonds on the Inside]]'' played to packed arenas across the continent.

In October 2004, Harper participated in the [[Vote for Change]] concert tour organised to benefit [[Moveon.org]] and encourage people in the [[swing states]] to vote during the [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004 U.S. presidential election]].  Also in October, Harper contributed a live recording of the song &amp;quot;Oppression&amp;quot; to ''[[For The Lady]]'', a benefit album for jailed [[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner and [[Burma|Burmese]] pro-[[democracy]] advocate [[Aung San Suu Kyi]].   

Over the summer of 2005, when the Zooma tour scheduled with [[Trey Anastasio]] and various side stage performers was canceled, Harper engaged in a tour of more private clubs/venues such as the Avalon Ballroom in [[Boston]], the Tabernacle in [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], and a full-band acoustic performance at the historic [[Ryman Auditorium]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]. This series of concerts saw the debut of a number of new songs, such as &amp;quot;Get It Like You Like It&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;Dressed In Black.&amp;quot;

In 2006, Harper released the double album ''[[Both Sides of the Gun]]'' which debuted at #7 on the [[Billboard charts]].  

Harper finished a worldwide tour in support of the album in 2006, with support from [[Damian &amp;quot;Jr. Gong&amp;quot; Marley]] on the [[North America]]n leg.

Though uncredited, he appears briefly in the 2006 [[David Lynch]] film ''[[Inland Empire (film)|Inland Empire]]'', alongside his wife [[Laura Dern]].

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals recorded a new album, ''[[Lifeline (Ben Harper album)|Lifeline]]'', in [[Paris]]. It was released in 2007. He also [[cover version|covered]] [[John Lennon]]'s &amp;quot;[[Beautiful Boy]]&amp;quot; on the benefit CD ''[[Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur]]''.

Ben has achieved great success in [[Brazil]] and [[Portugal]], because of his collaboration &amp;quot;Boa Sorte/Good Luck&amp;quot; with [[Brazilian people|Brazilian]] singer [[Vanessa da Mata]], which peaked at #1 in the Portuguese charts.

Harper is part of the [[No Nukes group]] which is against the expansion of [[nuclear power]]. In 2007 the group recorded a [[music video]] of a new version of the [[Buffalo Springfield]] song &amp;quot;[[For What It's Worth]]&amp;quot;.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.nukefree.org/node/96 “For What It’s Worth,” No Nukes Reunite After Thirty Years]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.nirs.org/home.htm Musicians Act to Stop New Atomic Reactors]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;

Ben Harper formed a new band in 2008, [[Relentless7]], and is expected to release its debut album in May 2009.

==Personal life==
Ben Harper is multi-ethnic.  His father, Leonard, was of [[African-American]] and [[Cherokee]] Indian ancestry, and his mother, Ellen Chase-Verdries, was [[Jew]]ish &amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.swer.net/english.roots1.html Ben Harper | Roots | Part one&amp;lt;!-- Bot generated title --&amp;gt;]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.onewaymagazine.com/coverstory_2-897.html Ben Harper - Every Facet Of The Diamond&amp;lt;!-- Bot generated title --&amp;gt;]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,,895525,00.html Ben Harper | Culture | The Guardian&amp;lt;!-- Bot generated title --&amp;gt;]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;. His parents [[divorce]]d when he was five, and he grew up with his mother's family.  Harper has two brothers, Joel and Peter Harper.  

From 1996 to 2001, Harper was married to Joanna. They have two children, son Charles James and daughter Harris. On [[December 23]], [[2005]] Harper married his girlfriend of five years, actress [[Laura Dern]]. They have two children together, son Ellery Walker Harper (b. August 21, 2001) and daughter Jaya (b. November 24, 2004).

==Charity==
In 2008 he participated in a [[Album (Music)|music album]] called [[Songs for Tibet]],  which is an initiative to support [[Tibet]], [[Dalai Lama]] [[Tenzin Gyatso]] and to underline the [[human rights]] situation in [[Tibet]]. The album was issued on [[August 5]] via [[iTunes]] and on [[August 19]] in music stores around the world.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;E-Online (July 22, 2008) [http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b147502_sting_matthews_mayer_gamer_tibet_beijing.html Sting, Matthews, Mayer Gamer for Tibet Than Beijing]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;

==Awards and nominations==

{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;
|-
! [[Year]]
! [[Award]] [[Show]]
! [[Award]]/[[Nomination]]
|-
|2003
|''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' (France)
|''Artist of the Year''
|-
|2005
|[[Grammy Award]]
|[[Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance#2000s|Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance]]
|-
|2005
|Grammy Award
|[[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album#2000s|Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album]]
|}

==Certifications==
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;
|-
!Year
!Album
![[RIAA certification|Certification]]
|-
|1995
|[[Fight for Your Mind]]
|[[RIAA certification|RIAA Gold-US]]
|-
|1999
|[[Burn to Shine (album)|Burn to Shine]]
|[[RIAA certification|RIAA Gold-US #67]]
|-
|2001
|[[Live from Mars]]
|[[RIAA certification|RIAA Gold-US #70]] 
|}

== Discography ==
===Albums===
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;
|- bgcolor=&amp;quot;#CCCCCC&amp;quot;
!align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|Album information
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Pleasure and Pain]]'''''
*Released: , 1992
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Welcome to the Cruel World]]'''''
*Released: [[February 8]], [[1994]]
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Fight for Your Mind]]'''''
*Released: 1995
*RIAA Certification: Gold
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[The Will to Live]]'''''
*Released: [[June 17]], [[1997]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #89, 1997
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Burn to Shine (album)|Burn to Shine]]'''''
*Released: [[September 21]], [[1999]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #67, 1999
*RIAA Certification: Gold #67 U.S.
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Live from Mars]]'''''
*Released: 2001
*RIAA Certification: Gold  #70 U.S
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Diamonds on the Inside]]'''''
*Released: [[March 11]], [[2003]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #19, 2003
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Canadian Albums]] #8, 2003
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Internet Albums]] #19, 2003
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[There Will Be a Light]]'''''
*Released: [[September 21]], [[2004]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #81, 2004
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Gospel Albums]] #1, 2004
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Internet Albums]] #113, 2004
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Live at the Apollo (Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama)|Live at the Apollo]]'''''
*Released: [[March 14]], [[2005]]
*RIAA Certification: Gold  #70 U.S
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Both Sides of the Gun]]'''''
*Released: [[March 21]], [[2006]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #7, 2006
*[[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA Weekly Top 100]] #1. 2006
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Lifeline (Ben Harper album)|Lifeline]]'''''
*Released: [[August 28]][[2007]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #9, 2007
* European Top Albums #6, [[September 6]], [[2007]]
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[Live At Twist &amp;amp; Shout]]'''''
*Released: [[December 4]], [[2007]]
|-
|align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot;|'''''[[White Lies For Dark Times]]'''''
*Released: [[May 2009]]
|}

===Virtual albums===
* ''[[iTunes Originals - Ben Harper]]''

===Singles===
*&amp;quot;[[Like A King / Whipping Boy]]&amp;quot; (1994)
*&amp;quot;[[Ground on Down]]&amp;quot; (1995)
*&amp;quot;[[Excuse Me Mr.]]&amp;quot; (1996)
*&amp;quot;[[Gold To Me]]&amp;quot; (1996)
*&amp;quot;[[Faded]]&amp;quot; (1997) #54 [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;British Hit Singles &amp;amp; Albums&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles &amp;amp; Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited 
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 244}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;
*&amp;quot;[[Jah Work]]&amp;quot; (1997)
*&amp;quot;[[Glory &amp;amp; Consequence]]&amp;quot; (1997)
*&amp;quot;[[Please Bleed]]&amp;quot; (1999)
*&amp;quot;[[Burn to Shine (song)|Burn to Shine]]&amp;quot; (1999)
*&amp;quot;[[Forgiven]]&amp;quot; (2000)
*&amp;quot;[[Steal My Kisses]]&amp;quot; (2000) #15 U.S. Adult Top 40
*&amp;quot;[[With My Own Two Hands]]&amp;quot; (2003)
*&amp;quot;[[Diamonds On The Inside (song)|Diamonds On The Inside]]&amp;quot; (2003) #31 U.S. Adult Top 40
*&amp;quot;[[Brown Eyed Blues]]&amp;quot; (2004)
*&amp;quot;[[Wicked Man]]&amp;quot; (2004)
*&amp;quot;[[There Will Be A Light (song)|There Will Be A Light]]&amp;quot; (2004)
*&amp;quot;[[Better Way]]&amp;quot; (2006)
*&amp;quot;[[Both Sides Of The Gun (song)|Both Sides Of The Gun]]&amp;quot; (2006)
*&amp;quot;[[Morning Yearning]]&amp;quot; (2006)
*&amp;quot;[[Fight Outta You]]&amp;quot; (2007)
*&amp;quot;[[Boa Sorte/Good Luck]]&amp;quot; (2007) (with [[Vanessa da Mata]]) #1 Portugal; #1 Brazil
*&amp;quot;[[In The Colors]]&amp;quot; (2008)
*&amp;quot;[[Fool For A Lonesome Train]]&amp;quot; (2008)
*&amp;quot;[[Shimmer &amp;amp; Shine]]&amp;quot; (2009)

==Special appearances==

Harper played a [[slide guitar]] version of the [[Star-Spangled Banner]] prior to Game 3 of the [[2007 NBA Finals]] on June 12 in [[Cleveland]].

He also appears on the 2003 Pearl Jam DVD Live At The Garden where Harper plays alongside friends Pearl Jam for the songs &amp;quot;Daughter&amp;quot; &amp;amp; &amp;quot;Indifference&amp;quot;

==DVDs==
* ''[[Pleasure and Pain]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Live at the Hollywood Bowl (Ben Harper film)|Live at the Hollywood Bowl]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama-Live at the Apollo|Live at the Apollo]]'' (2005)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.benharper.net/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/benharper Official Myspace]
* [http://www.ben-harper.com/ Official French website]
* {{en}} {{fr}} [http://benharper.fr benharper.fr - news, videos, photos...]
* [http://the1secondfilm.com/producer/336 Ben Harper Producer Profile on The 1 Second Film website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHjBo0vaLKs Video: &amp;quot;11th Commandment&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;Well Well Well&amp;quot;]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaYGoKgtT5g Video: &amp;quot;Paris Sunrise #7&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;Lifeline&amp;quot;]
* [http://www.swer.net/ swer.net (a comprehensive fan site)]
* {{en}} {{fr}} [http://benharperfrance.com benharperfrance.com - Forum] (French fan forum)
* [http://benharperlive.blogspot.com/ Ben Harper Live Blog rss news]
* [http://radiolibre.be/653/live-acoustique-ben-harper-part-2 Ben Harper preview his next album Lifeline (live and acoustic)]
* [http://benharperfrance.com Ben Harper French Forum]
* [http://www.orato.com/arts-entertainment/2007/11/07/ben-harper-gravitating-toward-renaissance Exclusive Interview]
* [http://www.stereowarning.com/2008/02/ben_harper_interview.html Ben Harper Interview] on Stereo Warning

{{Lifetime|1969|LIVING|Harper, Ben}}
[[Category:African American musicians]]
[[Category:Black rock musicians]]

[[Category:American blues singers]]
[[Category:American folk guitarists]]
[[Category:American folk singers]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
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[[Category:American rock singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Black Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish American musicians]]
[[Category:Real World artists]]
[[Category:Slide guitarists]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:African Americans]]
[[Category:American Jews]]

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